2023 Competitors

Stanley Zhang is a sixth form student at Auckland Grammar School in Auckland, New Zealand, where his favourite subjects to study are biology, chemistry, and French. He plays badminton casually and represents his school in debating but spends most of his free time online, watching YouTube or chatting with his friends. Other than neuroscience, another great passion of his is public transport, particularly as a solution for climate change. He is grateful for the opportunity to participate in the Brain Bee, through which he has met so many incredibly intelligent and awesome people. It has deepened his appreciation for the complexity of the nervous system and the human body as a whole, but also of the human impact of the diseases and medical conditions that plague everyday people. As a result, he hopes to study medicine at university in order to treat them and understand them more fully. Representing New Zealand on the world stage is both exciting and nerve-wracking for him, having never done so before, but he hopes to represent his country well and do it proud.

Tai Chun Hei is a 16-year-old student at St. Paul’s Co-educational College in Hong Kong. From quantum computing to writing symphonic music, Chun Hei has a wide range of interests in science and classical music. As he studied great theories of scientists and masterpieces of classical composers, he became fascinated by the remarkable capabilities and complex intricacies of the human brain, and he quickly developed a keen interest in neuroscience.

Chun Hei is particularly intrigued by the enduring enigma of consciousness and cognition. He seeks to understand how self-awareness arises from complex neural networks and how consciousness evolved over time. In addition, Chun Hei is also interested in the pathology of the nervous system, and he sees great potential in nanotechnology for curing diseases. Currently, he is working as a summer intern in the Department of Neurology at Queen Mary Hospital.

Having excelled in several regional and national biology and physics Olympiads, Chun Hei sees them as the first steps in his scientific journey. He hopes that his future studies will provide him with sufficient knowledge to undertake research in consciousness and nanotechnology and make significant contributions in these fields. Moreover, Chun Hei is also an active promoter of neuroscience in his community. He is eager to exchange ideas with his peers at the International Brain Bee and hopes to learn from them as he continues his journey in neuroscience

Kimia Ahmadi is a 17-year-old student at Pouyesh High School in Sanandaj, Kurdistan province, Iran. She has a keen interest in science and has been fascinated by the molecular biology of living things for as long as she can remember. She first started to become enthusiastic about the exciting and intricate world of the brain when she was a child. Looking at the illustrations of various neuroscience books draws her attention and curiosity toward the brain and the multiple functions it carries out, such as memory, decision-making, problem solving, speech, etc. Additionally, the changes that the brain undergoes in neurological and psychiatric disorders have been mysterious to her and she wonders how they are cured.

A couple of years ago, Kimia came across an announcement by the Iranian Neuroscience Society about the National Brain Bee competition. Since then, she made up her mind to participate in the Brain Bee competition, viewing it as an opportunity and a steppingstone towards her aspiration of becoming a neurosurgeon. Her ultimate goal is to contribute to the restoration of health in individuals who have endured traumatic and stressful experiences.

Braeden van de Beek is a 15-year-old student attending John Monash Science School, in Melbourne, Australia. In school, he enjoys learning chemistry, physics, biology and mathematics as well as writing creative stories and poetry. When Braeden entered the local round of the Brain Bee, it was the first time he had encountered neuroscience. Since then, he has learnt much about how the brain works. It is the complexity and unknown of neuroscience that drives him to continue learning about the brain. Outside of school, Braeden enjoys exploring new places (whether it be cycling, camping, hiking or walking his 2 dogs along the beach), designing things, listening to music, cooking, wakeboarding and writing. The opportunities he has been given in the Brain Bee have definitely exposed him to new and exciting areas of science and enabled him to connect with other students who share his passions for learning and science.

Luan resides in the southern region of Brazil and is currently pursuing a mechanics program at IFSC Campus Xanxerê. Among his activities at school, he finds great joy in engaging in research projects. During his free time, Luan immerses himself in exploring novel locations and playing the violin. His research endeavors encompass a wide range of subjects, ranging from material science, fluid dynamics systems to semiconductor technology.

Driven by a desire to unearth new discoveries and foster innovation, Luan aspires to pursue a degree in Physical Engineering. He firmly believes that by comprehensively studying the brain and neuroprocesses, it becomes possible to uncover untapped properties within existing technologies and develop entirely new ones. Luan’s dedication to his field of interest is reflected in his accomplishments, such as publishing scientific articles, attending prestigious congresses, and participating in an array of courses that span across engineering and neuroscience.

Sofia Fothergill is a 12th-year student at The International School La Serena in Chile. The opportunity to participate in The International Brain Bee fills her with excitement and anticipation, since she has always been captivated by the enigmatic complexities of the nervous system and, particularly, the brain.

While Sofia’s interests predominantly revolve around STEM subjects, she has a deep appreciation for the art of public speaking. She believes that the power of effective communication can amplify her message and make a meaningful impact on others. Sofia’s diverse range of interests and talents allows her to approach neuroscience from multiple angles, combining her scientific knowledge with her humanist side.

With a strong desire to pursue a career in the medical field, Sofia aims to be an inspiration for future generations in her country, and competitions like this are just the tool she needs.

Jennifer is a year-nine student at YK Pao School in Shanghai, China. She isn’t certain about major choices in the future. With options ranging from Mathematics to Gender Studies, she always maintains openness to different academic fields. Studying neuroscience in pure English is challenging for her, but the process of struggling over the proper nouns and striving to understand some terms makes her more persistent. As an old Chinese saying states, “故天将降大任于是人也,必先苦其心志,劳其筋骨”—one can only take on significant responsibilities after going through various struggles and difficulties.

In her spare time, Jennifer is a huge fan of computer games. Recently, she is into a local Wuxia game, JX3, an MMORPG game that offers an escape from reality. She is also playing popular RPGs such as Hogwarts Legacy, Elden Ring, etc. For music, she rarely deviates from mandopop. Her favorite singers are Mao Buyi and Jay Chou. (She finally managed to get a concert ticket for Mao Buyi after enduring the tedious pandemic restriction on live events. Yeah!!) Apart from entertainment, Jennifer is a member of her school’s fencing varsity and a core member of the neuroscience club.

Jennifer is very honored to represent P.R. China in IBB and will try her best for the competition. She will have a great opportunity for wearing the national flag 🙂

María José is a ninth grade student who enjoys reading and helping others. She enjoys providing a safe space for those in need. In addition to tutoring people, she volunteers at events for underprivileged communities. Maria José is an inspirational cheerleader and dancer who always cheers up the teams when they need it most. The subject of human interaction has always fascinated her since she was a child; she plans to study psychology in college. She is fluent in English and Spanish, and she is learning German and Portuguese. Her particular interests in neuroscience include diagnosis and behavior of individuals with OCD, PTSD, insomnia, alzheimers, and autism. She is also closely following up on the tourette syndrome study. María José is very excited to expand her knowledge with the brain bee classes and competitions.

Shahd Elfeky is an 18 years old high school student at Maadi STEM School. She always finds an interest and passion in the scientific fields. Chemistry isn’t her favorite subject, but drug synthesis grabs her attention to do a research project on. She enjoys doing mathematical calculations on The Hardy-Weinberg principle of genetic variation. Her incredible journey with neuroscience began from watching a movie discussing schizophrenia. She discovered her passion for behavioral neuroscience after that. She ranked first out of hundreds of participants in the Egyptian Biology Olympiad. She has qualified to represent her country in the International Biology Olympiad with more than 200 competitors from around the world. She aims to major in biomedical engineering, hoping to contribute to this field. In her free time, she enjoys watching drama series and reading.

Rania Jerad, a 17-year-old student, is currently studying at Ecole Jeannine Manuel in Paris as an 11th grader. Her favourite subjects include biology and chemistry. She is deeply interested by the world of neuroscience, and this fascination stems from her personal experience of being diagnosed with epilepsy as a child. To learn more about this field, she took part in the France Brain Bee, an event that allowed her to expand her knowledge about the intricacies of the brain. As well, she is the leader of the medicine and neuroscience club at her school, where she engages in discussions and learning related to the subject. Rania dedicates her time to visiting a retirement home on a weekly basis, to spend time with the elderly, but also to gain valuable insights about the neurological disorders which affect them, asuch as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. Psychological and psychiatric disorders, like OCD, particularly intrigue her as they are deeply intertwined with the brain’s structure. Rania aspires to pursue a career as a neurologist or psychiatrist in the future. During her free time, she enjoys spending time with her friends, reading, and playing with her cat.

Stephanie Klenam Klomegah is in her final year in Achimota School,Ghana.Her favourite subjects are Chemistry,Social Studies,Mathematics and Biology. During her leisure time she loves to do a bit of photography, community service and reading. Her interest in neuroscience spiked recently when the National Brain Bee was announced in her school, prior to that she had barely heard of the field.The Brain Bee got her to think beyond the scope she was limited to and created in her the resolve to explore the other fields of science. Neuroscience greatly appeals to her and she would love to be a part of the Neuroscience community someday. She is very excited to represent Ghana at the International Brain Bee 2023. She hopes to learn and connect with others around the world during the competition.

Waseem Khalaila is 16.5 years old and studies at Al-Bashaer, private school of science, Sakhnin, Israel. He has participated in several national competitions in the field of mathematics and won first places. In ninth grade, he was selected for an “odyssey program” for excellent students as part of the program of youth seeking science. In the same year, he was also selected for the Neuroscience Program at the Davidson Institute for Science Education at the Weizmann Institute. In the tenth grade, he was selected to study for a bachelor’s degree in computer science at the University of Haifa for high school students, and I completed his first year successfully. His future goal is to be a computer – neuroscience researcher.

Nurtore is a 16-year-old student at Bilim-Innovation Lyceum in Oskemen, Kazakhstan. He is passionate about the natural sciences, focusing on biology and chemistry. One of his best Olympiad successes is that he has won the national Olympiad three times.

Throughout his educational journey, Nurtore has maintained a keen interest in the study of human anatomy, especially neurobiology. His ultimate goal is to become a highly skilled neurosurgeon.

In his free time, Nurtore is involved in several activities. He likes to play the dombra, a Kazakh folk instrument. He often plays football and basketball with his friends. Nurtore also prepares junior high school students for the Olympiads, and explains topics to them.

He is honored and proud to represent Kazakhstan at the prestigious international Brain Bee 2023 competition. In addition, he is looking forward to testing his knowledge in the field of neuroscience with other participants in IBB 2023.

Gayeong is currently an 17 year old, who goes to Korean Minjok Leadership Academy. Her interest in neuroscience started from her middle school science class, learning the specific names of the brain anatomy and its various functions. She hopes to become a neuroscientist focusing on discovering a successful treatment for degenerative brain diseases, like Alzheimer’s disease and ALC. Gayeong is also newly interested in glioscience. She is willing to study the active role of astrocytes, one of the neuroglial cells that make up a large part of the brain, and find out the direct effect on brain disease through research.

In her free time, she plays lacrosse, dances and watch movies in theaters. In addition to science, she is interested in fashion and K-pop. She is very excited to participate in the International Brain Bee as a representative of South Korea and looking forward to meet and compete with talented future neuroscientists in the world!

Madlēna is a 17-year-old 11th grade student. At school she enjoys learning chemistry and maths but the subject she is the most fond of is biology and its broad research areas, for instance, ecology and microbiology. However, her biggest passion is raised towards neuroscience which first began due to an urge to understand the scientific background of the development of mental health disorders and consequently led to a realization of how fascinating the nervous system is with all of its functions combined. Her biggest aim is to create a career in the medical field because of a strong hope for being able to help people suffering from psychiatric and neurological conditions, especially those facing neurodegenerative diseases. In her spare time, she enjoys running, playing the guitar, and expanding her viewpoint of the world by travelling. Madlēna truly appreciates the opportunity to participate in the IBB competition and meet peers who are keen on neuroscience.

Benedict Martinas Magee is an 18 years old student attending his first year of medicine at the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences. At 15 years old he represented his country in an international science olympiad where he took the bronze medal. At 17 he, with his classmates, presented his educational business ideas in the international Expo 2020 in Dubai. Nowadays, after many years of different competitions, he focuses on neurology and neurosurgery in medical university and helps with the execution of various national science competitions.

Cho I Lio is a 16-year-old high school student from Chan Sui Ki Perpectual Help College (Macau). She is passionate about human physiology and anatomy, enjoys playing volleyball and trying different sports. Being a qualified first-aider at a young age, she aspires to pursue her studies in physiotherapy and serve the public with her expertise in the future. Cho I is excited to represent Macau at the International Brain Bee 2023. She believes this is an invaluable opportunity to broaden her horizons and meet competitors from different parts of the world.

Krish Rauniyar is currently a first-year medical student at B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal. Born in a small religious city of Nepal: Janakpurdham, he completed schooling there and sought higher education in the capital city. He was the National Delegate of Nepal for the International Biology Olympiad for the year 2021. The socio-cultural exchange, networking amidst a variety of minds and a chance to represent his country globally are some moments he relives over and over again. He is passionate about Medicine, Genetics, and Research and is exploring his potential to contribute to these fields. In his leisure time, you can find him reading growth books, playing guitar, indulging in cricket or table tennis, or hiking with his friends and talking about life. He loves teaching (co-learning to be exact) as well. This hobby of his helps him polish his communication and leadership skills. Neuroscience is something that ignites him like none other topic. The complexity of the brain amazes him and encourages him to explore it further. He wishes to add something valuable to this beautiful field in the near future and to make a difference in people’s lifes.

My name is Vika. I am 18 years old. I’m from Ukraine. I have been interested in natural sciences since childhood. I like watching documentaries, TV and YouTube programs about science and reading science books. I am graduating from the Lviv Physics and Mathematics Lyceum, where I have been studying for 3 years in the chemistry-biology class. After entering the lyceum, I learned about many fields of biology science, in particular neurobiology and biotechnology. I began to study them in depth. Last year, i wrote a research paper on the topic of the role of autophagy degradation of protein in the pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease and won a national competition with this work. This year I found out about the Brain Bee competition and decided to prepare and take part in it. I am satisfied with how much I managed to deepen my knowledge in this field during the preparation. Gaining new knowledge is the biggest benefit of my work. I plan to continue learning about the human body, especially about the nervous system, because it is so interesting, important and unexplored. In addition to being interested in science, I have many hobbies, in particular, music, dancing, taking pictures, reading and learning languages.

14-year-old Jenny Jung is a Class of 2026 student at Saigon South International School. They have been enrolled in international schools both in Malaysia and Viet Nam. Jenny believes that neuroscience and psychology education is important for a medically advancing society. They are the winner of the 2022 Vietnam Brain Bee.